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Chapter 167 Video Ticketing Arrives in Venice
Chapter 167 Video Ticketing Arrives in Venice
At 2:17 p.m., Jiang Yu was awakened by a tingling, needle-like sensation in his arm.
He opened his eyes and took three seconds to remember where he was. Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains and shone directly on his face.
The source of the numbness was Liu Yifei, who was sleeping soundly with her head resting on his right arm.
She lay on her side, her face turned toward him, one hand unconsciously resting on his chest.
Her face, without makeup, was so fair it was almost transparent; her lips were slightly parted, and her breathing was light and even.
His long hair was spread out on the pillow, with a few strands playfully tangling around his fingers.
Jiang Yu stared at her for a while before cautiously beginning the "arm rescue operation."
He first very slowly twitched his fingers, trying to free himself from the strands of hair.
Failure. The hair was wrapped quite tightly.
He switched to his other hand and carefully parted the fine, soft hair, his movements as gentle as if he were defusing a bomb.
Jiang Yu held his breath, supported her head with his left hand, and began to move his right hand outward inch by inch.
She had only moved halfway when Liu Yifei suddenly wrinkled her nose and mumbled a "hmm".
Jiang Yu froze immediately, not daring to breathe.
Fortunately, Liu Yifei just rubbed against the pillow and fell asleep again.
The crisis is over.
Jiang Yu continued his work and finally freed his arm five minutes later.
He sat up and moved his sore and numb right arm, feeling as if a million ants were having a party in his veins.
The phone screen on the bedside table was flashing silently, with more than twenty unread messages already piled up.
Jiang Yu took it and glanced at it: the work group was discussing yesterday's Weibo data fluctuations, the assistant posted today's schedule, and there were several congratulatory messages from partners.
He first checked the Weibo backend data, which showed 152 million new registered users, 200,000 more than he had before going to bed the night before.
Another name has been added to the list of celebrities who joined, and several of them are top-tier stars who he didn't expect to leave the scene so early.
"Hmm... what time is it?" A sleepy voice came from beside me.
Jiang Yu turned his head and saw that Liu Yifei was already awake, squinting at him, one hand groping for her phone on the bedside table.
"It's 2:20." Jiang Yu leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Did you sleep well, birthday girl?"
"Oh no." Liu Yifei buried her face in the pillow, her voice muffled. "I'm even dreaming about scrolling through Weibo comments. I'm exhausted."
""
Jiang Yu chuckled: "Who told you to stay up until 3 a.m.? I told you the data is there, you can check it again tomorrow, it'll be the same."
"That's different!" Liu Yifei suddenly raised her head, her hair disheveled. "Do you know when the first comment appeared after I posted my birthday Weibo yesterday? Thirty-seven seconds! Someone commented in just thirty-seven seconds! Before, when I posted articles on my blog, I would wait ages for a few comments. This feels so magical—"
As she spoke, she reached for her phone, but Jiang Yu snatched it away first: "Wash up and eat first. I ordered porridge and side dishes; they should be here soon."
Liu Yifei's attention was indeed diverted: "I want congee with preserved egg and lean pork, with lots of fried dough sticks."
"I ordered it, and I even added an extra serving of shrimp dumplings for you." Jiang Yu pulled her out of bed. "Go wash your face, your eyes are still a little swollen."
"Whose fault is it?" Liu Yifei rolled her eyes at him and slipped into the bathroom in her slippers.
Just as she finished washing up and came out, the takeout arrived.
The two sat down in the restaurant. The meal consisted of simple white porridge with four side dishes and a basket of shrimp dumplings.
Liu Yifei scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and skillfully unlocked her phone with her other hand.
"Wow, my birthday is still trending second!" She bit the tip of her spoon, scrolling through the screen. "The first one is—Andy Lau is getting married?! Really?"
Jiang Yu leaned closer to take a look.
The top trending topic was "Andy Lau's secret marriage exposed," followed by a bright red "Explosive" sign.
Clicking on it leads to news broken by Hong Kong media in the early hours of the morning.
The comments section is exploding. There are blessings, heartbreak, questions about the authenticity of the photos, and a bunch of people tagging various celebrities for verification.
"Luckily, Brother Hua hasn't opened a Weibo account yet." Jiang Yu scooped a bowl of porridge and pushed it in front of her. "Otherwise, our servers would have crashed today. Sina's technical department added three backup servers last night, just in case of this kind of sudden big news."
Liu Yifei sipped her porridge, her eyes glued to her phone: "So many people are tagging me in the comments, asking if I know anything behind the scenes—oh my god, how would I know? I've never worked with Brother Hua."
"Netizens just love to make wild guesses." Jiang Yu himself picked up his phone and went into the real-time data monitoring of Weibo's backend.
The number of online users is steadily increasing, and the topic's discussion level is skyrocketing.
He noticed an interesting phenomenon: under the topic of Andy Lau's marriage, a large number of "forward and win" Weibo posts appeared.
Some fans were heartbroken and said they wanted to give away albums in a raffle, some businesses tried to capitalize on the hype with raffles and promotions, and some relationship bloggers even gave away relationship counseling in a raffle.
This spontaneously formed interactive pattern is even richer than the gameplay they had planned.
"Jiang Yu, look!" Liu Yifei suddenly handed over her phone. On the screen was a long Weibo analysis, "Looking at the Transformation of Fan Interaction in the New Media Era from Liu Yifei's Birthday Weibo Post." "Someone has written a professional analysis! The author is a professor from the Communication University of China!"
Jiang Yu glanced at the article, which started with the timing, content, and interaction data of Liu Yifei's birthday Weibo post, and analyzed in a simple and easy-to-understand way how Weibo has changed the way celebrities communicate with their fans.
The professor also predicted that if operated properly, Weibo could become the number one portal for entertainment information in China within a year, and even influence the traditional entertainment reporting model.
"This professor has a sharp eye," Jiang Yu commented, giving the article a thumbs up and forwarding it to the work group. "It's worth having the operations department contact him to see if we can get him to write a column."
"That's right, look who chose the platform spokesperson." Liu Yifei raised her chin proudly, then her expression fell as she thought of something. "Oh right, my mom called last night and said that she and my aunt are at my house in Shunyi and asked us to come back for dinner today."
Jiang Yu paused in his action of picking up shrimp dumplings: "Are the two empress dowagers going to conduct a joint trial?"
"Scared?" Liu Yifei looked at him teasingly. "When you kissed me in front of everyone at my birthday party yesterday, why weren't you scared?"
"That's different." Jiang Yu said seriously, "Yesterday was a strategic offensive, today is a strategic defense. The nature is different, so the tactics must be adjusted. The offensive must be swift, and the defense must be solid."
Liu Yifei chuckled at his antics and lightly kicked his shin: "Stop being silly. Hurry up and eat. I need to go back and tidy up afterward. I can't go back to see the Empress Dowager in my pajamas, can I?"
"Okay, okay." Jiang Yu sped up his eating. "My car's in for servicing, so I'll drive your Audi today?"
"Drive your G63, I like that car, it's very stable."
At 4:10 p.m., a black Mercedes-Benz G63 drove into the Shunyi villa area.
The autumn sun shone the ginkgo trees on both sides of the road into a golden glow, and the fallen leaves covered the ground, making a soft rustling sound as the wheels rolled over them.
Liu Yifei sat in the passenger seat, having changed into an oatmeal-colored cashmere sweater paired with beige wide-leg pants and a light khaki trench coat. Her hair was loosely tied back, revealing her slender neck.
Simple, with every detail exuding a casual yet meticulously crafted feel.
"What do you think my mom and Aunt Zhou will ask?" She straightened her already neat collar for the nth time.
"It's nothing more than how Weibo is going, how preparations for Venice are going, and whether I've rested enough." Jiang Yu said casually, steering the wheel with one hand. "Standard procedure, like completing a game, I've memorized it all."
"You're really calm."
"Otherwise what?" Jiang Yu stopped at the red light, turned to look at her, his eyes serious. "Besides, your mom and my mom have actually been on the same side for a long time. Haven't you noticed? They call each other more often than we do now."
Liu Yifei thought about it and it seemed to be true.
As the red light turned green, the car slowly drove into the depths of the villa area, finally stopping in front of a three-story villa with a private yard.
There are many flowers planted in the yard, and several clumps of chrysanthemums are in full bloom this season.
As soon as the two got out of the car, they smelled the aroma of food wafting from the house.
Upon entering, I saw Liu Xiaoli and Zhou Huiwen sitting side by side on the living room sofa, with a laptop in front of them and Weibo on the screen.
Liu Xiaoli, wearing reading glasses, awkwardly tapped the touchpad; Zhou Huiwen beside her instructed, "Yes, tap here. This heart is for 'like,' just tap it once, no need to keep pressing it—"
"Mom, Auntie," Liu Yifei called out.
Both mothers looked up at the same time.
Liu Xiaoli took off her glasses, looked her daughter up and down, and nodded: "Your complexion is alright, just cover up your dark circles with concealer."
Then his gaze turned to Jiang Yu, "Little Jiang, you're here. Have a seat. Your Weibo account is really well done. I spent the whole afternoon learning and I can already post pictures."
Jiang Yu almost couldn't help but laugh. Liu Xiaoli was a dancer when she was young, and she was always dignified and elegant. Now, for her daughter's career, she is learning to use Weibo in her fifties. This scene has a kind of inexplicable cuteness.
"Auntie learns so fast." He sat down on the sofa opposite him. "Anytime you don't understand anything, just ask me. I'm online customer service 24/7."
So for the next half hour, the living room turned into a tutorial on how to use Weibo.
Jiang Yu helped the two mothers register accounts, set profile pictures, and follow the first batch of accounts.
The teaching process was full of laughs: "Xiao Jiang, what does this '@' symbol mean?"
"This refers to a specific person. For example, if you want me to see this Weibo post, you would write '@姜宇'."
"If I write '@Yifei's Mom,' will I receive it myself?"
"—Yes, but it's a bit like calling yourself to eat."
"Mom, you can click this plus sign to post on Weibo."
"What are you writing? The weather's so nice today!"
"Sure, or you could share a picture of the dish you made."
"No, that won't do. My recipes are exclusive and can't be revealed."
Liu Yifei sat beside him, watching Jiang Yu patiently teach the two mothers, and felt a warmth in her heart.
She took out her phone and secretly snapped a photo: Jiang Yu was standing behind the sofa, bent over, pointing at the screen and explaining; Liu Xiaoli and Zhou Huiwen were huddled in front of the computer, looking as focused as if they were learning some profound knowledge.
She thought for a moment, logged into Weibo, posted this photo, and captioned it: "Thank you, Teacher Jiang, for your hard work at the family digital literacy class."
[Smirking]
Less than a minute after it was posted, comments started flooding in: "Haha, the empresses dowager are so cute!"
"Is Mr. Jiang getting used to married life ahead of schedule?"
"Am I the only one who noticed that Aunt Liu is using an Apple computer? The Empress Dowager is so trendy!"
"Is it reasonable for the whole family to be so good-looking?"
Liu Yifei smiled and handed her phone to Jiang Yu. Jiang Yu glanced at it and raised an eyebrow: "Does this count as leaking trade secrets?"
I personally went to teach the users; isn't that excellent service?
"Perfect, perfect, I give you a thumbs up." Liu Yifei genuinely liked his system Weibo post welcoming new users.
Amidst the laughter and chatter, the aunt came over to announce that dinner was ready.
The restaurant served six dishes and a soup: steamed sea bass, blanched bok choy, yam and pork rib soup, sweet and sour pork ribs, garlic broccoli, and Liu Yifei's favorite crab roe tofu.
They were all home-style dishes, but prepared with great care.
"Xiao Jiang, eat more fish." Liu Xiaoli put a large piece of fish belly on Jiang Yu's plate. "You must be exhausted from all the work launching your Weibo account lately."
"It's alright, we just invested some money, and the launch went smoothly." Jiang Yu thanked her, "But Auntie, have you been staying up late watching dramas lately? I see you have some dark circles under your eyes."
Liu Xiaoli touched her face: "Is it that obvious? I've been watching a Korean drama lately, and I stayed up until 2 a.m. last night."
"Mom!" Liu Yifei and Jiang Yu exclaimed in unison.
"I was just watching, I wasn't doing anything else," Liu Xiaoli waved her hand. "Let's not talk about that. Xiao Jiang, when are you planning to launch your video website?"
The conversation then turned to work.
Jiang Yu put down his chopsticks and answered seriously, "It's set for National Day, October 1st at 10:00 AM."
The content is all ready; the official film and television library has over 30,000 hours, and several self-produced dramas will be launched simultaneously.
Liu Xiaoli was concerned about something else: "What about that ticketing website? I heard you can buy movie tickets and choose seats online?"
"Yes, it'll be called 'Chasing Light Ticketing,' and it's scheduled to launch on New Year's Day." Jiang Yu nodded. "The first movie we'll be promoting is 'Avatar,' a Hollywood blockbuster with stunning special effects. We've already signed cooperation agreements with all the major cinema chains in the country, covering 65% of the screens. When Auntie wants to watch a movie, she can just click a few times on her phone or computer to buy tickets and choose seats without having to queue at the cinema."
"That's so convenient?" Liu Xiaoli's eyes lit up. "Then it will be so much easier for Huiwen and me to go to the movies. Last time we went to see 'Transformers 2,' we waited in line for half an hour, and our legs were sore from standing."
"That's why we're doing this," Jiang Yu said with a smile, "to make watching movies simpler and more comfortable."
Dinner ended in a relaxed atmosphere.
While the aunt was clearing away the dishes, Liu Xiaoli suddenly remembered something: "Yifei, have you prepared everything for your trip to Venice?"
"Have you ordered your dress yet?"
"It's settled, three sets, two for the red carpet and one for the cocktail party," Liu Yifei said. "The brand is getting them directly from Paris, they'll be delivered to Beijing tomorrow, I'll try them on one more time, and if they don't fit, they can be altered."
"Will Jiang Yu go with you?" Zhou Huiwen asked.
"Mom, I definitely have to go," Jiang Yu replied. "My girlfriend is walking the red carpet, so I have to be the photographer down there, right? Besides, the Venice Film Festival is a great opportunity to learn and observe how international film promotion is done."
Liu Xiaoli nodded in satisfaction: "It's time to go. I'm always worried about Yifei being out alone. With you by her side, we feel at ease."
The implication of approval in those words was quite clear. Liu Yifei gently kicked Jiang Yu under the table, a smile in her eyes.
After dinner, the two mothers pulled Liu Yifei into the living room to continue studying Weibo, while Jiang Yu went to the balcony to answer a work call.
After making a few calls, it was almost nine o'clock.
"I have to go back to Yintai. I have a meeting early tomorrow morning." Jiang Yu picked up his car keys.
Liu Yifei saw him to the door and took out a paper bag from the dressing room: "This is for you, osmanthus cake made by Auntie, for breakfast."
Jiang Yu took it and kissed her cheek: "Don't stay up late, go to bed early. Do you need me to come with you to try on your dress tomorrow morning?"
"No need, Ken and Sister Lin are fine." Liu Yifei straightened his collar. "Drive carefully, text me when you arrive."
"I know, you're so long-winded."
On the way back to the city, Jiang Yu was driving, but his thoughts were already drifting to tomorrow's work.
Over the next few days, Liu Yifei was busy preparing for her Venice trip, while Jiang Yu immersed himself in the headquarters of Chasing Light.
Jiang Yu's office is located on the southeast corner of the 32nd floor, with a floor-to-ceiling window offering a panoramic view of the CBD.
At 8:50 a.m. on Monday, he had just sat down behind his desk when his assistant, Wang Wei, knocked on the door and came in: "President Jiang, President Wang and President Yang have arrived and are waiting for you in Conference Room Number One."
"Let them come over. They can open it in my office and make us a pot of tea while they're at it."
"Okay, is Pu'er tea alright?"
"Can."
A few minutes later, Wang Xin and Yang Siwei came in one after the other.
The two have very different styles: Wang Xin is wearing a gray plaid shirt with jeans, carrying a backpack, and her hair is a bit messy. She looks like a tech geek who just crawled out of a pile of code.
Yang Siwei was dressed in a dark blue suit, with her white shirt buttoned up to the top, her hair neatly combed, and holding the latest iPad in her hand, walking with a confident stride.
"Have a seat." Jiang Yu gestured to the sofa area, then walked around from behind his desk. "You must have had a long journey. Did you take an early morning flight from Shenzhen?"
"My flight is at six, so I got up at four." Wang Xin yawned, took the tea Wang Wei handed her, and said, "Thank you, Assistant Su."
Yang Siwei, on the other hand, seemed much more energetic: "Thankfully, I caught up on a nap on the plane. Mr. Jiang, here is the latest data report."
""
She handed him the computer, and Jiang Yu took it and quickly browsed through it.
The internal testing data for Guangying Video is very good, with user retention rate 15% higher than expected; the feedback from the merchant side of the ticketing website is also very positive, with several cinema chain representatives saying that the system is more stable and easier to use than they expected.
"Let's talk about video websites first." Jiang Yu placed his laptop on the coffee table. "Wang Xin, are you under a lot of pressure launching during the National Day holiday?"
Wang Xin adjusted his glasses and opened his laptop: "Technically, there are absolutely no problems. The server architecture is an upgraded version of Kuaibo's P2P technology, which is more than enough to support the initial user base. In terms of content, the entire copyright library has been digitized and entered into the database, with intelligent labeling for categories, and the search accuracy has reached 98%. As for self-produced content, all 12 episodes of the first season of 'Mao Pian' have been completed in post-production, along with 8 episodes of 'Baidu Ren' and 20 episodes of the first season of 'Diao Si Nan Shi.' The sample footage was reviewed by Light Chaser Pictures last week, and the quality is up to standard."
"What about quality control?" This was Jiang Yu's biggest concern. "I don't want the pixelated quality of pirated websites."
"We guarantee high definition." Wang Xin pulled up several comparison images. "We used a new encoding algorithm, and at the same bitrate, the picture quality is 30% higher than our competitors. We also implemented adaptive streaming media. Users with good network speeds can watch 1080p, while those with poor network speeds automatically switch to 720p or 480p, with buffering time controlled within two seconds."
Jiang Yu nodded: "What about the mobile version?"
"The feedback from the Android beta test is very good. The iOS version is awaiting Apple's review and is expected to be released at the end of the month."
Wang Xin paused, his expression turning serious. "However, President Jiang, I have a concern. We have enough content, but we lack a breakout hit. While 'Chinese Paladin 3' was a popular drama, it was ultimately a rerun of an older series. Our self-produced content is of good quality, but it features mostly new faces, so its ability to attract viewers remains to be seen."
Jiang Yu had also considered this issue. His experience from his previous life told him that in the early stages of a video website, one or two exclusive hit dramas are often needed to drive user growth.
At this point in time, there are indeed no readily available super popular items to buy on the market.
"Okay," Jiang Yu said after a moment's thought, "we'll take a three-pronged approach. First, we'll strive for simultaneous online and television broadcast of 'My Sunshine.' You and President Jiang should tell him to sacrifice some profits to get it done; this is a prestige project. Second, we'll increase marketing investment in our self-produced content. 'The Swindler' will target suspense enthusiasts, with targeted promotion on Baidu Tieba, Weibo, and forums. 'Men's Diary' will take a comedic approach, creating short video clips for distribution on Weibo. Third, we'll launch the 'Chasing the Light Project,' publicly soliciting outstanding self-produced scripts and production teams. We'll invest in selected projects, ensuring exclusive platform broadcasts, and cultivating our own content ecosystem."
Wang Xin's eyes lit up: "The third one is great! It can solve the content source problem and also build a good reputation in the industry."
"Siwei," Jiang Yu turned to Yang Siwei, "you'll work with Wang Xin to handle the simultaneous online and television broadcast. You have extensive connections in the film and television industry and are familiar with television stations."
Yang Siwei immediately noted it down: "Understood. I'll contact the purchasing directors of several satellite TV stations this afternoon to arrange a dinner. However, Mr. Jiang, the price for simultaneous online and TV broadcasting might be 50% to 100% higher than pure online broadcasting rights."
"Money isn't the issue; the key is influence," Jiang Yu waved his hand. "We need to establish the perception among users that Light Chaser Video offers exclusive, high-quality dramas. Once that perception is established, the rest will be much easier."
"Understood." Yang Siwei nodded. "Then what about the ticketing website—"
"you say."
Yang Siwei switched pages on the computer: "The system development is complete, and we're currently conducting the final round of stress testing. Regarding cooperation agreements, Wanda, Dadi, China Film Stellar, and Shanghai United have officially signed, covering 65% of the screens nationwide. Our own Chasing Light Cinemas is 100% integrated. Launching on New Year's Day shouldn't be a problem."
"What about payment methods?"
"Alipay and UnionPay have already integrated, and Tenpay is in talks, but that'll probably have to wait until next year," Yang Siwei said, flipping through her notes. "The biggest challenge right now is cultivating user habits. Right now, people either go to the cinema to queue or make reservations by phone to buy movie tickets. Online seat selection and online payment—this model requires market education."
Jiang Yu laughed: "That's why I asked you to make *Avatar* your top recommendation. This film has several advantages: First, top-tier Hollywood special effects, with a strong visual impact—it's the kind of movie you have to see on the big screen to truly enjoy it; second, it's directed by Cameron, who has box office appeal; third, and most importantly, its ticket price will be higher than regular movies—it's IMAX."
The version is more expensive. Audiences who spend more money to see a movie are more concerned about their viewing experience, making the choice of which version to prioritize important.
Yang Siwei suddenly realized: "I get it! Use the audiovisual demands of 'Avatar' to force viewers to try online seat selection!"
"That's right," Jiang Yu praised. "Before the launch, we need to do a few things. First, negotiate with China Film Group to secure exclusive pre-sale rights and open ticket sales two weeks in advance; second, create an online seat selection tutorial, using animation to demonstrate in a simple and easy-to-understand way; third, run promotional activities, such as a 20% discount on the first 10,000 tickets, or a popcorn voucher with ticket purchase; fourth, and most importantly, system stability. On the first day of launch, there's likely to be a surge of users, so the server absolutely cannot crash. Wang Xin, you assist Siwei in this, bringing over the core technical team from Shenzhen to provide support."
Wang Xin patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Jiang. At its peak, Kuaibo had tens of millions of users online simultaneously. We can handle the initial traffic volume of the ticketing website. I've already arranged for a team to conduct stress tests on the ticketing system, simulating ten times the expected concurrent traffic, and the system performed stably."
"That's good." Jiang Yu checked the time; the meeting had been going on for over two hours. "That's all for today. Wang Xin, I need to personally review the report on the final full-chain test before the video website goes live. Siwei, go over the details of the cooperation with the ticketing website again, especially the revenue sharing ratio and settlement cycle. There can be no ambiguity in the contract."
The two stood up: "Understood."
As they reached the door, Yang Siwei suddenly turned back: "President Jiang, there's something else. Fox has already sent over the trailers and clips for 'Avatar,' and they're incredibly impressive. I was thinking, should we release a 3,000-second teaser trailer on Weibo to generate buzz? We're all part of the same ecosystem anyway, so we can help each other drive traffic."
Jiang Yu thought for a moment: "Okay, but we need to be careful with the pace. Let's wait until after the Venice Film Festival. By then, Yi Fei's popularity will have died down, and we'll need a new topic to take over. Besides—"
He smiled and said, "We need to give our colleagues some time to prepare, otherwise, if there are too many bombshells all at once, I'm afraid their hearts won't be able to take it."
""
All three of them laughed.
September 1, 2009, Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport.
At 9:10 a.m., there were already quite a few passengers waiting in the VIP channel.
When Liu Yifei's team of more than a dozen people appeared, although they were all dressed in casual clothes and wearing masks, their aura was still undeniable.
Liu Yifei, who was walking at the front, wore a simple white T-shirt with light blue jeans and a beige knitted cardigan. Her hair was loosely tied into a low ponytail, and she wore a black mask, revealing only her clear eyes.
Even with such a casual outfit, it couldn't hide her slender figure and her cool yet gentle temperament.
Almost the instant she appeared, several young girls in the passageway gasped.
"It's Yifei! It really is Liu Yifei!"
The next second, all the phone cameras snapped up, and the flashes started clicking.
Several paparazzi and entertainment reporters who had been waiting at the airport quickly surrounded the crowd, aiming their cameras and microphones at the center of the crowd.
"Yifei! Yifei, look this way!"
Happy birthday, Yifei! I check your Weibo every day!
"Go Venice Film Festival, Art & Beauty! 'Black Swan' is sure to win an award!"
Several girls who looked like college students shouted excitedly, holding up their phones and carefully prepared notebooks.
One of the petite girls squeezed to the front, holding a swan-shaped doll, which was obviously a special support item prepared for "Black Swan".
Liu Yifei stopped in her tracks, a slight smile playing on her lips beneath her mask.
She took the notebook the girl handed her, quickly signed her name, glanced at the swan doll, and said softly, "Thank you, it's very cute."
"Yifei, can we take a picture together?" another girl asked timidly.
"Just one." Liu Yifei smiled at the girl, took the phone from her, turned slightly to stand next to the girl, and quickly took a selfie.
His movements were natural and fluid, clearly indicating that he was already used to this kind of occasion.
The girl who received the photo blushed with excitement and repeatedly thanked Yifei, saying, "Thank you, Yifei! Go Venice! We'll be watching the live stream on Weibo!"
"Be careful, don't push," Liu Yifei whispered, returning the notebook to the other fans, signing a few more autographs, before continuing towards the security checkpoint under the protection of her assistant.
Jiang Yu, as an "accompanying staff member," followed discreetly behind the team.
Wearing a black baseball cap and a matching mask, he did look like an ordinary assistant or bodyguard at first glance, but sharp-eyed reporters still recognized him.
"Is that General Manager Jiang? The owner of Chasing Light Technology?" a reporter carrying a camera asked his colleague in a low voice.
"It's definitely him! Look at his build and the way he walks, there's no mistake."
"Tsk tsk, she really came along? That's such a spoiling gesture!"
"They're a proper couple now, so what's wrong with her coming to the Venice Film Festival with him? Besides, isn't 'Black Swan,' which Liu Yifei is nominated for in the main competition, invested in by Light Chaser Pictures' North American branch? It's perfectly reasonable for the boss to come and support his own film."
"You know what, I'm getting more and more obsessed with this couple. At Yifei's birthday party last month, President Jiang held her hand in public, and the look in his eyes—tsk tsk, it was way too sweet."
"Quick, take a few more pictures! This is exclusive!"
The clicking of camera shutters became noticeably more frequent as Jiang Yu passed by.
He didn't stop or try to avoid the camera; he simply lowered his hat brim slightly, his gaze fixed on Liu Yifei's back in front of him.
The moment she finished signing and turned around, their eyes met briefly in the air. Liu Yifei's eyes behind her mask curved slightly, while Jiang Yu nodded almost imperceptibly.
it is more than words.
Assistant Wang Wei jogged back from the front: "President Jiang, the car is ready. We'll drive directly to the tarmac for business jet number three. The crew has confirmed that the aircraft has completed pre-flight checks and can take off in forty minutes."
Jiang Yu glanced at his watch; it was 9:15. "Tell everyone to hurry through security. We'll take off at 10:00 as planned."
"Understood." Wang Wei nodded, then turned and jogged off to inform the rest of the team.
The security check went smoothly, and there weren't many people in the VIP lane. The staff were clearly used to celebrity groups and were very efficient.
After passing through security, several shuttle buses were already waiting, taking the team directly to the tarmac.
At 9:40 a.m., the black Gulfstream G550 business jet sat quietly on the tarmac.
"Wow, this plane is so cool," a young female publicity assistant in the team exclaimed softly.
"Of course, it's a Gulfstream G550, with a range long enough to fly directly from BJ to New York, and the interior is all custom-made." A member of Jiang Yu's team walked beside him, his tone tinged with pride.
The boarding stairs were already set up. Liu Yifei took the lead and walked up the stairs. She turned around at the cabin door and waved to the staff who were seeing her off before entering the cabin.
"Please sit wherever you like, don't be shy." Jiang Yu was the last to board, taking off his mask and hat. "The flight will take about eleven hours. After lunch, please rest as much as possible to adjust to the time difference."
Liu Yifei chose a window seat in the front cabin and sat down, and Jiang Yu naturally sat next to her.
The flight attendant, a capable woman in her thirties, smiled and offered hot towels and welcome drinks: "Mr. Jiang, Ms. Liu, welcome aboard. I am Li Qing, the chief flight attendant for this flight. Please feel free to press the call button if you need anything during the flight."
We will provide lunch after takeoff. The menu has been adjusted to Ms. Liu's taste, and it's on the lighter side.
"Thank you." Liu Yifei took the orange juice and sipped it.
Once the other team members were settled in the rear cabin, the partition in the front cabin slowly rose, creating a relatively private space.
Li Qing tactfully retreated to the rear cabin, leaving the space to the two of them.
The plane began to taxi, and the roar of the engines gradually increased.
Liu Yifei turned her head to look out the window, and the airport control tower, runway, and distant terminal building slowly receded into the distance.
"Nervous?" Jiang Yu's voice rang in my ears.
Liu Yifei turned back and nodded honestly: "A little. Although I've been to several film festivals, I still get nervous before walking the red carpet every time. Especially this time, 'Black Swan' is in the main competition, and it's getting so much attention. I'm afraid I won't perform well and embarrass the team, and I'm also afraid—afraid that the media will write some nonsense again."
She paused, then lowered her voice: "You know, those people love to magnify the smallest details. What clothes you wear, what you say, who you take a picture with—they can make up a whole bunch of stories about it."
"You never disappoint." Jiang Yu reached out and took her hand, his palm warm and dry. "Besides, don't worry about the attention. Have you forgotten what we have?"
Liu Yifei's eyes lit up: "Weibo!"
"Yes." Jiang Yu smiled, gently stroking the back of her hand with his fingers. "President Cao has arranged a professional team to film you. High-definition photos of your entire red carpet walk will be sent back to China in real time and broadcast live on Weibo. Not only you, but we'll also be following up on the activities of other Chinese stars at the film festival. This year, Weibo is creating a special page for the Venice Film Festival, providing comprehensive and multi-faceted coverage. So..."
1
He deliberately dragged out his words, "Even if you trip and fall on the red carpet, people back home will see the high-definition burst footage immediately; of course, I'm joking, so please don't trip and fall."
Liu Yifei was amused by him, which eased her tension considerably. She gave him a light kick and said, "Can't you wish me well for once?"
"Isn't this to relieve your stress?" Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, for this Weibo Venice special, Cao Guowei had the operations team prepare ten related topics, covering everything from #VeniceFilmFestival# to #RedCarpetStyle# to #ChineseFilmsOverseas#. There will be at least three topics related to the film festival on the trending list, and your popularity will only be higher than you think."
The plane then lifted off the ground, and a slight feeling of weightlessness came over us.
Liu Yifei leaned back in her chair and looked at him sideways: "Sometimes I feel that your thoughts are always three steps ahead of mine."
I was just worried about how the media would write it, and you've already prepared the trending topics.
"Otherwise, how could I be worthy of you?" Jiang Yu smiled, leaned closer, and kissed her forehead. "Liu Yifei's boyfriend can't just be a blockhead who only says 'Don't be nervous,' can he?"
"You're so glib," Liu Yifei scolded playfully, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
Once the aircraft enters level flight, the seatbelt indicator light will turn off.
Li Qing peeked in through the small window in the front cabin bulkhead: "Mr. Jiang, Ms. Liu, dinner is ready. Today's main courses are pan-fried cod with lemon butter sauce and roasted chicken breast with seasonal vegetables. Which would you prefer?"
"I want cod," Liu Yifei said.
"Same here," Jiang Yu added. "Also, please arrange meals for our colleagues in the back cabin. The flight is long, so please make sure everyone eats well."
"Understood, everything has been arranged."
The lunch was exquisite, and the presentation was just as good as that of a five-star restaurant.
The silver cod was pan-fried to perfection, with a slightly crispy exterior and tender interior, and the accompanying asparagus and mashed potatoes were also very refreshing.
Liu Yifei ate most of the food and drank half a bowl of mushroom soup before putting down her utensils with satisfaction.
"Are you full?" Jiang Yu asked, having already finished his own portion.
"Hmm, I'm a little sleepy." Liu Yifei rubbed her eyes. "I didn't sleep well last night, I kept thinking about today."
"Then I'll take a nap." Jiang Yu pressed the button next to the seat, and the seat slowly reclined, turning into a comfortable bed.
He took a blanket from the overhead cabinet and covered her with it. "I'm going to take care of some work. You can sleep peacefully."
Aren't you going to sleep?
"I'm jet-lagged easily, I can sleep in Venice tonight." Jiang Yu tucked the blanket around her. "Go to sleep, I'll wake you up when we get there."
Liu Yifei was indeed sleepy; her breathing became even and long soon after she closed her eyes.
Jiang Yu watched her for a while, making sure she was fast asleep, before gently getting up, taking down his laptop, and returning to his seat.
Upon powering on and connecting to the airplane's satellite network, the number of unread emails in my inbox quickly climbed to 99+.
He first opened the most urgent emails.
Wang Xin sent the final test report of the light and shadow video, which included densely packed data charts as an attachment.
Jiang Yu quickly browsed through the key indicators, all of which were in green: the server stress test passed, the user concurrency capacity reached 150% of the expected level, the mobile adaptation was completed, the iOS review was approved, the content library was ready, and the countdown to the National Day launch had begun.
He replied, "Received, proceed as planned. Also, prepare three contingency plans to handle any sudden surges in traffic on launch day."
.
The second email was from Yang Siwei.
All cooperation agreements with the ticketing websites have been signed, and the electronic contracts have been archived.
In addition to the previously mentioned concept art for the Avatar IMAX poster, the attachment also includes a detailed pre-release promotion plan, with timelines accurate to the hour.
Jiang Yu clicked on the poster image. A blue Na'vi rode on a Thunderwing Beast, with the Hallelujah Mountains floating behind them, shrouded in clouds and mist. The lighting effects were extremely realistic.
Even from his perspective in his past life, the visual impact of this poster was enough to crush all domestic film promotional materials in 2009.
He thought for a moment and replied, "The poster is good. We'll start the pre-event promotion after the National Day holiday. As you said, we'll release the suspense version first, and the official version three days later."
The third email came from Cao Guowei, CEO of Weibo.
The content is the final plan for the Venice Film Festival special page, along with ten topic tags and promotion schedules proposed by the operations team.
Jiang Yu carefully reviewed the content and made annotations on several details: "Under the hashtag #VeniceRedCarpet#, in addition to individual photos of the artists, include more content on interactions between Chinese and foreign artists and backstage glimpses to increase its appeal."
A poll titled "Can You Create Your Best Look of the Day?" was used to increase user engagement.
"We've partnered with several fashion media outlets to provide professional commentary on red carpet looks, enhancing the depth of our content."
More than an hour had passed by the time I finished replying to these crucial emails.
Jiang Yu stretched his stiff neck, closed his laptop, and turned to look at his side.
Liu Yifei was fast asleep, lying on her side with her face turned towards him. The blanket had slipped down a bit, revealing half of her shoulder.
Jiang Yu gently pulled the blanket back up, his fingertips accidentally brushing against her cheek, which was soft and delicate.
She seemed to sense something and unconsciously rubbed against his hand, like a cat being affectionate.
Jiang Yu smiled, took her hand, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest.
The eleven-hour flight passed quickly with rest and work.
At 4 p.m. local time, the plane began to descend, and through the window, one could already see the azure surface of the Adriatic Sea, and the world-famous water city of Venice on the sea.
"Wake up, we're almost there." Jiang Yu gently shook Liu Yifei's shoulder.
Liu Yifei groggily opened her eyes, taking about ten seconds to realize where she was: "Are we here?"
"Yes, we are landing."
She sat up, and the blanket slipped off.
Jiang Yu helped her adjust the seat back to its original position and handed her a bottle of water: "Drink some water to soothe your throat. There might be Italian media after you get off the plane, so make sure you're in good spirits."
Liu Yifei took small sips of water, tidying her slightly messy hair with her other hand.
The plane then experienced a slight turbulence and began its final approach.
At 4:20 p.m. local time, the Gulfstream G550 landed smoothly on the runway at Venice Marco Polo Airport.
The plane taxied to the business jet parking area, the cabin door opened, and the early September Mediterranean sunshine and warm breeze rushed in.
On the tarmac, five black Mercedes-Benz vans were already waiting by the gangway.
Several people were standing beside the car. The white man in the lead immediately came to greet them when he saw them get off.
"Boss, Crystal Liu, welcome to Venice."
David is a veteran Hollywood producer who was recruited by Jiang Yu in late 06 to become the president of Light Chaser Animation's North American branch.
"David, thank you for your hard work." Jiang Yu shook hands with him. "Did everything go smoothly with your early arrival to make arrangements?"
"Everything went very smoothly," David said with a smile. "The hotel is all arranged; it's on the main island, a fifteen-minute boat ride from the Palais des Festivals. The media schedule, red carpet time, screenings—every detail has been confirmed. Also..."
He turned to Liu Yifei, his eyes filled with genuine admiration, "Crystal Liu, I must say, your performance in 'Black Swan' was absolutely stunning. Director Darren and Fox are both very confident about this film festival; they believe you have a chance to compete for Best Actress."
Liu Yifei smiled politely: "Thank you, it's all thanks to the director and the whole team. I'm also really looking forward to the film's premiere in Venice."
"The car is ready. Let's go to the hotel first." David stepped aside and gestured, "This way, please."
As the team members began moving their luggage, Jiang Yu naturally put his arm around Liu Yifei's waist and whispered in her ear, "Did you hear that?"
Best Actress nominee. Nervous, future Best Actress?
Liu Yifei nudged him lightly with her elbow, but couldn't help but smile: "Don't be silly, this is just the beginning."
"Then let's get started." Jiang Yu let go of her hand and instead took hers. "Come on, let me show you this city that's submerged in water."
Two minivans drove out of the airport and headed along the coastal road toward the main island of Venice.
The scenery outside the car window gradually changed: the azure sea, islands appearing and disappearing in the distance, and those built on the water...
A house with vibrant colors.
Liu Yifei leaned against the car window, quietly looking out.
Sunlight fell on her profile, and her eyelashes cast a soft shadow on her cheek.